Montana

Montana - The most beautiful state yet

The original plan was to head to Canada and Alaska. We learned our first lesson about long road trips: don't overestimate the time it takes to travel with a 33-foot trailer, two dogs, and a teenager while working remotely. Soon after arriving in Montana, we realized we needed to drastically reduce our number of destinations. August became the month that we had to figure out our systems, a new set of habits and cadence, and recover from the pure stress of upending our lives to make a family road trip for ten months possible.

However, once we started to get our rhythm, the sheer beauty of Montana made it all worth it. Kimberley and I agree that Glacier National Park is the most beautiful national park we have ever visited. We could easily spend another month hiking every nook and cranny. The pace and beauty of Montana harken back to how Colorado was 30-40 years ago. The people we met were especially kind-hearted, lacking the angry hustle and bustle that the Front Range has become.

The Recap

Missoula. After leaving Colorado nine days late, we flew through Wyoming to Montana. We finally stopped for a bit in Missoula to recover. A word to the wise: don't try shopping with a giant trailer attached to you. We must have looked like the circus coming to town. We stopped at Target, Home Depot, the local thrift shop, the grocery store, and more gas for the truck because it gets seven miles per gallon pulling a house. Cheese and biscuits (aka the nice way to say Jesus Christ)! Gas is the new budget killer, and showers are the new gold standard for luxury living.

Much Water Recreation Area. Our next stop was a slice of paradise. Off the Clark Fork River is a string of dispersed campsites in the Much Water Recreation area. I'm fascinated by how places get their name. In the case of the Clark Fork, the original Native American name for the Clark Fork River was "E-hel-i-shee" or "E-hel-i-shu," which comes from the Salish language. The Salish, also known as the Flathead people, were one of the Native American tribes inhabiting the region around the Clark Fork River. The name "E-hel-i-shee" translates roughly to "big river" or "large river," reflecting the river's significance to the Salish people as a significant waterway in their territory. The river was an essential resource for the Salish and other Native American tribes in the area, providing water, fish, and a means of transportation.

Montana is considered the land of the Big Sky, but I'd argue that it is the land of big lakes and wide, undulating rivers.

Flathead Lake. Speaking of big lakes, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River in the contiguous United States. Its water is perhaps the most transparent I've ever seen in a lake! It was hard to find a last-minute spot for our giant camper. We finally found an RV park run by Native Americans. It had a different feel to it. No alcohol signs were everywhere, as well as signs that said "child abuse will not be tolerated." The people were kind. I walked to talk to the kid at the front gate and found him practicing Kung Fu on the back porch. He seemed a little embarrassed to be caught, but we talked about martial arts and how it influenced my life at an early age.

Little connections with people from other walks of life fill the soul. I'm amazed at how many small connections we're making all of the time. One of my favorite parts of traveling is that it makes you more open to everyday wonders. Kimberley and I have noticed how often people stop us to have conversations and connect. Kimberley had a twenty-minute discussion with the checkout person in a Target. I met a Dad at a soccer day camp, and we talked for two hours straight. You all know that I'm not a chatty guy, but I was so happy to learn about a lifelong Missoulan and his life. Once, in the backwoods searching for another camping spot, a random guy from Minnesota stopped us, and we talked truck to truck for thirty minutes. Who was this guy? I could devote a whole post to it.

Glacier National Park. 

I mean, really, what the heck?! This is truly the most beautiful national park that I have ever visited. You simply cannot capture it in photos, and that is a good thing. You have to see it for yourself. We spent a few days here, but you really need to devote a month to this place to explore a fraction of what this area has to offer. I don't even have words to describe it, either.

Fort Peck Lake. The Nelson Reservoir. Fort Peck Lake, formed by the Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River, is a significant man-made reservoir with a rich history rooted in the New Deal era. The lake is an engineering marvel and a vital resource for flood control, water

management, and hydroelectric power. It supports a diverse ecosystem and offers extensive recreational opportunities while serving as a reminder of the transformative impact of large-scale public works projects on the American landscape. This was my office for a full day of meetings (to the right). The Starlink delivered a solid 300 Mbps! I don't love Elon, but I do love his products. This place was idyllic until the winds came. OMG, the winds were howling at 50 miles per hour, so we cut the visit short and headed to North Dakota.